Think Again
by stride-with-the-music
Summary: This is going to be pretty much an alternative ending to Breaking Dawn, where in this story Bella doesn't come back. We may hear from her at some point, but she mostly will not be included into this!
1. Chapter 1

*Jacob*

I glance down at Renesmee, who's resting her head in my lap.

Her soft curls loop around her ears as I stroke the hair out of her face, and she twists so that her chocolatey eyes meet mine. "When's momma coming to see me?" she asks quietly, her red lips sliding into a well-practiced pout.

"Well-" I begin.

"Sweetie, we aren't sure that your mother _is_ coming back." Rosalie says.

I glare heatedly at her. "Can we talk?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"I don't see why not." Rosalie replies, flashing a white grin in my direction. We walk into the kitchen, which is the next room over.

"What is your _problem_?!" I snarl.

Blondie just smiles sweetly. "I'm being the mother that Renesmee deserves."

"No, Bella is the mother Nessie deserves. You're jut the wanna-be-mom vampire that Renesmee will forget about as soon as Bella is back in her life, and you know it."

Her golden eyes become harsh and cold. "Don't you get it? Bella's _not _coming back! Even if she had a chance, she'd be as good as dead, anyways. You and I both know that she would come back with an unquenchable thirst for blood, and she probably wouldn't remember Renesmee at all. Now, you tell me this. What kind of mother is that? What woman forgets who her own child is?"

I flinch, taking a step backwards. "Bella will come back, and she won't forget Renesmee. I don't think it's possible for anyone to forget who their own child is."

The laugh comes out more like a snort of sarcasm. "Oh, yes, I'm sure you're right. Bella will just magically be able to contain her want to kill people for their blood, because that's just a bonus of becoming a vampire. Now, look, why won't you just listen to me?"

"Because I haven't gotten a reason from you proving that I should care about anything you say."

"How about this..."

It's quiet for a moment as the blonde tries to think of what to say.

I snort. "This is a waste of time." I turn on my heel and walked to the living room.

"I'm sorry."

The words float to me as I'm walking out of the kitchen. I stop cold. "What?"

"I said I'm sorry. For a lot of things, actually."

My body turns to face Rosalie, and I can see in her eyes that she means everything she says. "Well, I may have been... A little harsh at times. And I'm sorry I threw a dog bowl at your face."

She laughs. It's pure and sincere. "Apology accepted, mutt." Rosalie smirks.

I sigh. "There's the insult I've been waiting for." I mutter, going back into the living room.

Renesmee sits on the couch with Edward, who is talking quietly to her. I cannot hear what he says, but I'm sure it has to do something with Rosalie's earlier comment.

I slide onto the couch in between Edward and the girl, who looks up at me as soon as I step close to her. "Hey, you okay?" I ask Renesmee gently.

She nods, her little head bobbing up and down softly. She pauses a moment. "Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Did Aunt Rose mean what she said? About momma not coming home, that is." Her round, chocolate brown eyes are filled with worry.

I sigh, glancing up at Rosalie, who is just now walking into the living room. "Look, what your mother is going through right now is a very difficult time, and she doesn't think it's safe for you to be around her right now. As for whether or not she will be home soon, only time will tell, sweetheart." The words that flowed out of my mouth weren't completely untrue, just not the total truth.

Rosalie comes and sits on the other side of Nessie, and puts her arm gently around the girl. "You don't worry about a thing, ok? No matter what, we aren't going to leave you. You'll be safe here with us." Blondie's eyes meet mine, and they are filled with a nervous worry.

I can't really say I blame her for the way she feels. Ever since Bella left us, Renesmee has rarely asked about her mother, but the few times she has, it's always been with wide open eyes and full frowning lips. The guilt Nessie makes me feel eats away at my insides, because I know that it's partly my fault that Bella Swan left in the first place.


	2. Chapter 2

*Rosalie*

I have always felt that Jacob was no good. I mean, he's a werewolf, he smells awful, and it wasn't like he's been the most kind to me. One of my latest encounters with him actually included him throwing a dog bowl at my head.

He finally apologized for that today, but that wasn't what began to change the way I think about him. It was the sweet, loving look that he cast Renesmee's way while we were sitting on the couch just moments ago. I've never seen anyone look so kind, so protective, so determined as Jacob looks while he's around Renesmee.

Maybe it's just me, but that imprinting thing those wolves have got going on definitely change the way that they act. People have said that imprinting on someone brings out the more caring side of a werewolf. I've never believed anyone who claimed that to be true until now, and Jacob is proof enough for me that I would call a person a liar if they said otherwise.

I become so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice Emmett as he comes up next to me.

"Hey, babe. You okay?" Emmett asks quietly.

I jump away from his voice. "Wha-what?" I stutter, not remembering what he had said.

He eyes me carefully. "Are you okay? You seem nervous, and a little worried."

I laugh shakily. "You noticed?"

Emmett stares at me.

I sigh. "It's Renesmee. She's got me all worked up, although I bet it's over nothing."

"What are you worked up over? Maybe I can help in some way." Emmett says, putting his arm around my shoulder.

"Well, she seemed distraught when I said Bella probably wasn't coming home. I feel like I'm not doing enough to make her happy, like I'm not acting enough like a real mother to her. Maybe this is why I was turned before I could have children of my own, because all signs seem to point down the road of her disappointment with me being her mom." I say, looking into Emmett's dark golden eyes.

"Look, we all respect what you're doing, and Renesmee knows that you're trying your hardest to please her. I think she just needs a little time to process that her mom isn't here, and that she may not ever get to meet her real mom." His eyes stare deeply into mine."But before you start to argue that she hates you, she doesn't. She loves you more than you can imagine."

I glance backwards at the house, only to see Jacob on the couch with his arms around Renesmee, who's snuggled herself up against his side.

Edward was nowhere in sight, although that didn't surprise me. Ever since Bella left, Edward had been distraught and unable to be near Renesmee for long periods of time. Apparently she reminds him too much of Bella.

I swallow back a sob. "I know, it's just that... I see Jacob with her, and how lovingly they look at each other, and I know that Renesmee trusts him with her life, just like I know that Jake will do anything to protect her. When she looks at me, though, I can see the love, but it's more like a recognition that I'm there to care for her, and that I'm her family. Nothing more, nothing less."

Emmett hugs me tightly against him."Shh, don't worry. Everything will turn for the better, okay? I promise you this."

I press my face into Emmett's shirt and let the quiet, soothing tears fall down my cheeks.


End file.
